Conventional bone fixation systems include a bone plate having screw holes that receive fixation members, such as screws that are configured to attach to underlying bone that includes, at a minimum, a pair of bone segments separated by a bone gap. The bone gap can be a fracture created by a traumatic event, an osteotomy, or can be the result of debridement of a joint of two discrete bones to be joined in an arthodesis. Thus, the bone plate can be affixed to the bone on opposed sides of the bone gap via the bone screws to promote union of the bone segments (e.g., healing of the fracture or ossification of the joint). Bone fixation systems can further include temporary Kirschner wires (K-wires) that are temporarily inserted into apertures of the bone fixation plate and into the underlying bone segments to determine proper length, rotation and alignment of the bone segments prior to permanent plate fixation. Once the bone fixation plate has been properly positioned, the permanent bone screws can be inserted into one or more bone screw holes on opposed sides of the bone gap and affixed to the underlying bone.
In one conventional system, a K-wire is screwed or otherwise driven through the screw holes of the plate on opposite sides of the bone gap. The K-wire is smaller in diameter as the screw holes, and is thus positioned so as to bear against opposing edges of the respective screw holes so as to prevent movement of the plate during imaging. The process of accurately positioning the K-wire so as to prevent movement of the bone plate has proven difficult and tedious, as any space between the K-wire and the outer edge of the screw hole can allow movement of the bone plate.